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Durbin Fears Highway Construction Shutdown

Road construction projects in Illinois could be halted due to a stalemate in Congress over the Highway Trust Fund.

The U.S. Senate left for a week long recess without voting on a bill that would replenish the fund for six months, costing $9 billion. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) says quick action will be needed after the July 4 weekend.

“We are literally days away from being insolvent in our federal Highway Trust Fund,” Durbin said.  “I don’t want that moment to come when we shut down the Highway Trust Fund and say to the state of Illinois and every other state: stop your construction in place and let the politicians in Washington argue for a while.”

The current Senate proposal would require changes to tax deductions for mortgages and inherited retirement accounts.  Durbin says the suggestion from the Republican-controlled House was to replenish the fund by ending Saturday mail delivery from the U.S. Postal Service, a plan he called unrealistic.

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